The following stories have been hand-selected by the Assignment Desk at News4:
HOT DAYS AHEAD
Washington's hottest period so far this year is expected to start Sunday, and it could last three or four days, according to forecasts. Predictions call for the mercury to reach 96 or 97 degrees Sunday. A reading of 97 would be the hottest of 2009, and meteorologists expect Monday to be even steamier, with a high of 98 or 99 degrees at Reagan National Airport. Some forecasts call for at least three consecutive days in the 90s. "If you thought we might make it through summer without a heat wave, think again," wrote Jason Samenow on The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang blog. Heat waves, whether tolerated or deplored, have been recognized through the years as salient facts of Washington's summers. But so far this year, the longest stretches of temperatures of 90 degrees or more have been a mere two days. Only on July 16 did the mercury at National reach as high as 96, and only twice have there been as many as two consecutive 90-or-above days.
(WASHINGTON POST)
MARYLAND CEO PAY
Chief executives of public companies have long had a ready answer when criticized about high pay: It's all about company performance. That argument has been put to the test by the toughest financial environment since the Great Depression. If performance is the standard, many of the Baltimore area's top-earning executives seem to be on shaky ground. To see how last year's financial crisis and worsening recession affected pay, The Baltimore Sun analyzed the 20 companies in the metro area that paid their CEOs at least $1 million. Seventeen reported increases in their chief executives' compensation, even though just as many firms ended their fiscal year with lower-priced stock - substantially lower, for the most part. Half the companies had losses or falling profits.
(BALTIMORE SUN)
PILOT BOARDINGHOUSE INVESTIGATION
Loudoun County officials are investigating a boardinghouse for airline pilots in Sterling Park. County zoning officials say inspectors and sheriff's deputies visited the house this week to see how many people lived there. They say they will cite the owner for code violations; the owner will have 10 days to implement changes before another inspection or face fines. The investigation comes after The Washington Post reported on the house in an article describing how some regional pilots share apartments or single-family homes near airports where they can rest between flights. The houses are known as "crash pads." Officials say they also are looking into living arrangements at two similar houses in the county.
(AP/RICHMOND TIMES-DISPATCH)
TAX-FREE SUCCESS
It was a win-win situation for both parents getting their children ready to go back to school and retailers to ring in some much-needed sales. Potomac Mills mall was among retailers across the state that support the Virginia Sales Tax Holiday with extra discounts and special events designed to help parents and students save money while getting ready for school. The program started on Friday and concludes today. “The crowds coming to the mall this weekend have been comparable to holiday shopping,” said Caroline Barry Green, marketing director. During the three-day period, shoppers at the retail stores will be exempt from the 5 percent sales tax on school supplies priced up to $20 per item, and clothes and shoes priced up to $100. Stores also can choose to exempt other items and pay the tax themselves. The taxation department expects shoppers to save $4 million during the period. The tax-free holiday concludes today, so this is the last chance to save in this difficult economy.
(INSIDENOVA.COM)
HEAVY TRAFFIC FOR SOCCER MATCH
The soccer game between D.C. United and Real Madrid is scheduled to start at 3 p.m., and that's likely to crowd the Capital Beltway, Central Avenue, Arena Drive and Landover Road in Landover. Plan to get there early, and bring some water. It's going to be very hot and humid. The Arena Drive/Capital Beltway interchange, which has been closed for construction, will open temporarily at 11 a.m. to handle traffic to and from the game. The Landover Road and Central Avenue interchanges are the other main highway access points, but of the two, the Maryland State Highway Administration recommends the Central Avenue connection to minimize delays. Though the stadium gates won't open till 1 p.m., the parking lots at FedEx open at 10 a.m. They're free today. One quirk: The road that circles FedEx won't be open. So target your parking lot using the roads on this map. Once you drive into the FedEx complex, you won't be able to drive to another lot.
(WASHINGTON POST)
